The Year After
by Gigaswoo
Summary: After the aftermath of Dishonored. Dunwall is in a state of recoverey. Callista on the otherhand is not. Forced from her position by higher authorities and her silence bought. She returns to a normal life. Which is as normal as it gets for a woman in Dunwall. Rated M for futured violence.
1. Chapter 1

_Emily grew up so fast. It's been a year since he was placed on the throne as Empress and already I've seen that smile of hers slowly but surely becoming as common as the Fugue Feast in a year. 2 years from now I'd guess it would come to that._

_I was glad, yet filled with envy that she was given high-tier professors of varying subjects recommended by Sokolov. Some from the curriculum you would find in a common school but taken to an advanced level, some from the less common aspects of the curriculum like the history of whaling (My favourite), chemistry, histories of the other continents in our known world, there has even been a foreigner from the East in a recently discovered continent known as "Janos". An expert in a previously unheard of practice known as "Ninjitsu". Sokolov studied it greatly and noted that it was similar to what Corvo does and decided to partner that expert with him. She's also leanring about that exeprt's culture and_

_Oh yeah and Corvo is teaching Emily in… what he does best._

_How do I know all this you may ask? Because he told me. _

_That's right. They found a better caretaker. Paid me 5,000 coin to keep my mouth shut about the incident a year ago and gave me an apartment in a not too bad but not great area. I have two jobs as a waitress and as a maid in the very apartment building I live in. I guess it's all I'm good for being a servant._

_Oh sorry it's Corvo you want to hear about. He never forgets his friends and he knows how much my heart weighs down at the mere mention of our fair Empress (That's what they call her now. "Fair and Just Lady Emily" I'm so proud of her.) So he visits me. Always at night and keeps me updated. But those visits have turned into letters for the past two months. Maybe he can't afford to risk being seen anymore despite his seemingly innate ability to silently infiltrate no different from a shadow._

_I almost forgot to mention. Slackjaw was apprehended by the royal investigators six months ago after one of his lackeys couldn't run fast enough after a successful sting that involved a large-enough to-be-worried-about arsenal of swords and guns. At first he spat and cursed in response to simple questions. Even irrelevant ones such as "What did you eat yesterday?" Apparently questions like that are meant to make the person feel at ease a little but this guy just wouldn't budge. So they got a little more… persuasive and unfortunately for Slackjaw they caught one of the more sensitive gang members. Apparently the deal was meant to be with someone called "Lizzie Stride". With Slackjaw the seller and her the buyer. But all of her gang escaped and needless to say still active._

_But more to the point. Because Slackjaw was such a high profile criminal they informed Emily of his capture and asked her if she would like to see him a few feet in the air or in a cell at Coldridge. Instead she made a different choice. Corvo gave me her exact words._

"_So you're a crime boss right? Mr. Slackjaw. Could you… teach me about all the bad stuff?" _

_I felt sick to my stomach when Corvo told me on weekends they bring Slackjaw to her in shackles with a watchful eye under two guards as he tells her about how the underworld really works and his experiences in it. All the way from his earliest memory of childhood when he stole an apple and sliced the shopkeeper's hand with a switchblade he still kept with him through his life until his capture._

_I never trusted the man not even a bit but there was little he could do under the circumstances. Plus his lackeys were complete morons. Not all of them were captured but with his known right hand man Crowley being dead I suspect they either got absorbed into another gang's ranks or just became small time mercenaries. _

_Corvo told me that despite Slackjaw's brutality he was one of the most honourable and strangely polite people he ever met. Since Slackjaw has no gang to look tough in front of he accepted his position and notably tries to elave the more gruesome parts to a minimum to Emily unless she notices that he's downplaying the reality. She wasn't stupid and at times her naivety was a deception._

_I already knew a year ago when I spotted that she knew what Corvo did. And she knows he did it for her._

_A loud fist repeatedly strikes my door as I look through the peephole. I wasn't surprised to see the face of Mr. Grostky my landlord._

"_Rent pay!" He shouted as he knocked again and ohhh my head._

_I quickly went through my coin drawer to get a 50 coin piece. Maybe I'll throw it at his head too._

"_I'm coming wait a moment!" I shouted at the impatient landlord. I grimace at the thought of somehow being stuck with the stereotype of one and not with anyone else. I opened the door to meet his hunched over thin frame and gently (As hard as I could) handed it to him as he flashed a grin that was incomplete with missing teeth. Apparently he had an altercation with an unpaying resident 3 years back according to one of the other female residents here. Somehow it was an improvement._

"_Much obliged ma'am." He whistled as he practically skipped down the corridor a few doors down to the next poor soul who was son his schedule. If he was that happy with 50 I could almost learn to appreciate his content with his own lifestyle while I used to witness much higher stakes. But those days are over for me now._

_I was in a tired state this morning and felt like going back to bed but my job heeds my calling or so I try to convince myself to give me purpose. I dress in my white sweater and green long skirt with common brown slippers. Not very fashionable but anything to avoid the "Male stare" as I call it._

_Time for another day of servitude._


	2. Chapter 2: Waitress

_It wasn't the Hound Pits Pub. And thank the Void it wasn't I could do without anything too familiar. It was a smaller pub but still a pub nonetheless. "The Queen Bee" it's called. Mainly because a lot of the beers and other alcoholics here taste like honey according to the patrons and also to the guy who brewed the stuff. I tried it once but I hated honey anyway so I just asked for water. It's a secret recipe only the granddaughter of the brewer knows what it is and of course two other brewers who she knew since childhood. She's not romantically involved with any of them but they were as close as siblings. The granddaughter's name was Melissa Pollen (Funny name). She always had her hair in two braids side by side and wore a white shirt with… a white apron? Seemed redundant to me but anyway she also usually wore blue skirts that were shorter than mine. Yeah she was half the reason patrons come here. Once she noted my conservative fashion sense and told me they loved "A closed flower" better. Void I hoped she was wrong. They look at her more than me but I still feel the eyes. Like what starts as small anxiety and turns into a feeling as if you just waded through thick mud and had to bathe to stop feeling dirty, or at least that's what it feels like to me. So yeah I don't really miss Piero that much._

_Her two childhood friends weren't two by coincidence. They were twins. Manuel and Miguel Inot. (Author's note. You'll find random surnames like that I made up.) They were both the same height of 5'7, had skin that wasn't white nor dark but somewhere in between. Both had thick small moustaches and usually wore the black and white uniforms of bartenders. They were well recognized you couldn't miss them. I'd say their friendly and jovial personalities were a quarter of the reason patrons visited._

_The other quarter was of course the drink. I think so anyway._

_If a business generated income on based on employees there must be something wrong with what we were serving. But I saw the happy faces of the potbellied, the bottle dwellers, (I gave them that name myself. Not that I ever told anyone.) And the poor souls whose only solution to their grief over a loved one lost to the rat plague was to drown in what was practically almost our whole distillery and selections over the whole year they visited. Same broken faces with blanked out eyes as if they gradually lost their souls over time and try to find them again here as if the last thing they can remember is they were here somewhere when it disappeared. The truth was they tried to forget so they can only remember that infinite loop of a memory. Where do they keep getting the coin from?_

"_Callista, table 2!" I sigh and nod to Melissa's command as I pick up the circular tray carrying six pints and bring it to table 2. But not before Miguel gives me a warning on this particular patron. _

"_Careful with that one. He ordered six of them. Something must have happened. Just keep a friendly face and be on your way." I nod as I carry out my order and head over to table 2. There's a figure there with a cloak on. A hood hiding its face in shadow and the person intentional kept his/her head down. It was hard to tell if this was a man or a woman. Until the figure spoke and confirmed the gender in a low, gravelly voice._

"_Thank you kindly." He immediately used a brown leather gloved hand to pick up the glass I set down first while I was still busy on placing the third on the table. He was silent as I kept placing the rest of his order on the table trying to figure out where I could place a glass on this table that seemed a little small. I did all of this while trying to keep the "Service with a smile" look as best as I could. I could've sworn that I heard him chuckle at some point as if he was watching me to see if I would slip up._

_After finally managing to complete my task as I left with an "Enjoy your drinks sir." I wanted to add some extra venom in my tone for his testing but he intimidated me too much to do that so I just put on the voice I did for all the other patrons. He just responded by holding his glass out to me in gratitude. I better keep an eye on this one._

_After serving three more glasses it was time for me to move on to another character. Only this one was more tragic. I knew because he had the empty eyes and the broken face. He looked to be in his mid-60s. Grey hair, fat build not grossly overweight but just enough I could imagine him having some waddle in his steps. I never saw this one before so either it wasn't my shift at the other times he was here or maybe it was his first visit. I noted his clothes, a grey jacket, green button-up shirt, brown pants and black boots. He had some mud on them. My best guess is that he was a farmer. Upon further inspection as I approached he had blue eyes. I didn't really want to listen to another sob story so I planned on giving him his drink and quickly moving on. Except he said something that caught me still in my tracks._

"_Callista?" I quickly turned to face him as he looked at me with a questioning look as he seemed to see right through me with piercing eyes. He noted that he scared me so he just turned his attention to his drink and just swayed his hand at me, telling me in body language to dismiss what I at least thought I heard and move on._

_Agreeing with him despite wanting answers. I had a job to do after all and as I looked out the window it was getting closer to sunset. Soon it would be twilight and I can leave at nightfall. I loved the night. I guess it reminded me of myself._

_The pub turned into an interesting array of colours during those periods of the day. From sunset to twilight to night. Orange and a bright yellow shooting in while leaving some areas in shade as the sun exits behind some of the construction development working on these tall buildings. Taller than any I've ever seen. Another design of the team effort of Piero and Sokolov. They called them "Lightning towers" originally because they were designed to attract thunder and then use it to power the mountain of a tower. But then the public started to nickname them "Skyscrapers". Piero and Sokolov started calling that themselves though it was still lightning tower on paper. I guess they liked a name where it hinted they deigned something that touched the sky. "Mena and their egos" I thought humorously to myself. But I was aware that if the male ego came from ambition a woman's was usually about how they inspired some of them to get there. If not just their personal appearance. _

_I got lost in thought as the sky turned darker and I was picking up what must've been my 23__rd__ tray of the day carrying three drinks to three patrons. It turned the room darker and then the twins worked on getting the torch lamps lit. Sokolov and Piero also invented something called "Plug sockets". Only nobles could afford them but I was glad because apparently they had to install something in your wall for it to work so they had to tear into it first. Those two were a perfect storm of a creative force. I wonder what Dunwall will look like in ten years? After I served three drinks the twins tell me it's my last order and it was for some rowdy teen so they tell me to watch myself. I nod as I carry an unusually large tray carrying one, two, three….. 8 pints. It looked like there was just three of them. "Are you sure it's ok to serve them all this?" I asked Manuel as he was cleaning a glass with a white cloth in concentration. He looked over to their table and shrugged "They look old enough. If just having your birthday a couple of months ago counts as old enough." I smile in amusement as I carry the tray in well hidden nervousness to their table. Thankfully it seemed like it was just Melissa they were focused on. That was before they noticed me._

"_Well, well, well! A girl who hides herself. I like that!"_

_I try my best not to scoff as the other two were agreeing with the one who seemed to be the pack leader. He was athletic with a smooth face, brown eyes and brown hair that wasn't long but his fringe hung over his eyes. I might've found him attractive if he wasn't so repulsive. His two friend on the other hand weren't much to speak of. One was chubby with red acne on his face, brown eyes and short brown hair. He seemed to be the youngest. His voice was deep but it sounded like it just recently finished breaking Finally the third was thin with average facial features, brown eyes like the other two and short dirt blonde hair. They all were expensive clothes and spoke in all too familiar accents. "Nobles" I thought to myself. Nobles who lacked courtesy anyway._

"_I concur!" the fat one giggled as he held his hands up to his mouth trying to stifle all out laughter. The blonde one just nodded and he just kept staring at me. I didn't like him._

_How were these two not completely drunk? They must've visited a different pub before deciding to try this one and if that was the case the one with the dirt blonde hair must've drank the least of them. The leader wasn't laughing so much as the fat one so I assume the one who laughed was the very merry one if you get my meaning._

_I loaded the sixth drink on the table when I felt a pressure on my hand and then a tapping on it. I knew what was happening but I tried to pretend I didn't notice but this bastard seemed to actually try to get a reaction from me as he squeezed harder._

"_That's it. Get out of here you punks!" I turned to see Manuel gesturing them to the leave through the front door. I hadn't noticed that I spilled the seventh and eighth drinks on myself when I turned around. I could feel that my behind was soaked but the real casualty was tubby since most of the honey beer spilled onto him when he leaned over to grope me. In a fit of rage he shot up and in an unbelievable amount of speed for someone so big he shot his left hand up to my neck and had me in a chokehold as he spun me around to his back all the while using his other hand to reach into the folds of his coat to retrieve a pistol from its holster and took aim at Manuel's head. But I could clearly see that he was really aiming at the "Honey Whiskey" line on the right of him. But I wasn't going to tell him that._

"_Whoa calm down!" Manuel tried to calm him by gesturing him to lower the gun as were his two friends behind him. Telling him they'll go somewhere else but he didn't seem to be having any of it. This kid was so drunk his only goal right now was trying to blame someone else for the situation. After some hard thinking he decided to point it at my head. My legs quivered and so did my lips to a lesser extent but if I was going to cry in front of someone it wouldn't be him so I kept my stoic expression. Even if it wasn't the smart move as hen seemed to be getting agitated at my fearlessness by the second. Miguel and Melissa soon came running to stop dead in their tracks at the sight of me being held hostage. The immediately opened up the till and grabbed as much coin as they could to hold out to him but they didn't know that it wasn't a robbery._

_Much to my horror my attacker said something that I never wanted to imagine._

"_I'm leaving and I'm taking her with me!" I almost couldn't believe that he actually could listen to himself from his senses nulled by the alcohol or if he even registered what was fully going on. He certainly did have a vague idea though._

_As Manuel continued to reason with him by explaining to him how crazy the idea was Miguel and Melissa just dropped all the coin and stood there in complete silence. Melissa silently tearing up but trying as hard as she could not to provoke him any further while his buddies still tried to talk to him about leaving and going home._

_He seemed to sober at the words as he calmed down a little when I saw from the corner of my eye a figure stepping up to the overweight boy. As I turned my eyes in that direction I saw that it was the hooded man from earlier. Was he suicidal? The boy as I and probably everyone else in the room predicted, raised his pistol in his direction only for me to hear a swift sound like air being cut. Then there was the sound of a strong spurt followed by a thud as the pistol made contact with the wooden floor. I took a deep breath of release when he let go and screamed. I fought my curiosity to look back and just ran behind the counter and slumped against it but not bothering to cover my ears. I witnessed bloodshed before but I wasn't in the mood to see it again. I only wanted to hear what was going on and possibly run to the basement to hide like a coward behind a locked door. But I knew that if he wanted to kill me he could have so I stayed._

"_By the void! Get a cloth!" I heard the voice of Miguel say at the sight before him. The screams turned into groans of pain as I could hear the other two urge him to get up and when that failed they attempted to carry him under the shoulders side by side. It was a little heart-warming that they stayed for their buddy when they could've ran. I couldn't hear what the hooded man was doing but I assumed he was ready to leave. I would be too for fear of the City Watch arresting me for taking a kid's hand off with a blade._

_I noted a the sound of drinking with some gulping then a glass hitting the table before slow thumping of boots walking and then disappearing. He nonchalantly drank his last beer before exiting? I remember that he wanted six maybe they messed with his better sense of judgement in tense situations. But he did it so calmly and efficiently he must've known what he was doing._

_Melissa then took it as her cue to scream. I had to admire her composure in front of the hooded assailant especially since she was clearly under the impression that she would be on the receiving end as well if she didn't stay quiet. After letting it out she quietly sobbed but understanding the need for medical attention she quickly looked through the medicinal cabinet for anything that can be used. But I don't think anyone prepared for an amputation of a hand._

_There was chattering going on between the few patrons left. Miguel ordered everyone to go home. Manuel helped the two boys lift the third to a table. From what I could gather from conversation he was losing consciousness. Melissa quickly rifled through the cabinet and decided to just grab anything she could carry. The boy had been close to fainting as they put a rag in his mouth when they applied the disinfectant. He screamed into it and that was the final nail for him as he fainted at the combination of the pain, blood loss and shock. Manuel ordered the two boys to get a City Watch guard as I heard two pairs of footsteps hurrying out through the door. It would take them 5 minutes if a patron didn't take the initiative. If that was the case then to my guess, 2 minutes._

_Curiosity finally got the better of me. I might as well have been drinking our own produce but I decided to peek above the counter to see what was going on. I saw the twins and Melissa surrounding the boy as he as laid on table 5 as if it was a slab. They weren't blocking him out of view so I could see him clearly. He looked paler than he did before. Not deathly pale but slowly and surely he was losing colour. A light shade of grey it appeared. I'm sure he's going to be ok but 20 minutes and no guard he's in trouble._

_Melissa worked to wrap white bandages around where his right hand used to be. While the twins checked for any sign of fever. Deciding that I saw enough I lowered my head back down and waited. Debating whether or not I should leave them be and creep out through the door. No too risky maybe the basement? What was I so afraid of? I wasn't hiding from hostility yet I felt like there was something to hide from. Maybe I was worried about the hooded man, or even the farmer who somehow knew my name. Whatever the case there wasn't much chance I was going to budge from my position._

_I heard the door's bell ring as two familiar footsteps and a third pair of loud boots thumping on the floor hurried to the table where the attacker turned victim was potentially dying. I heard Miguel explain the situation to the guard as Manuel and Melissa continued to tend to him._

"_It was crazy man. This kid over here took my waitress hostage while pointing a gun at me then turned it at her. I thought he was going to either kill her or take her out of here with him to do Void knows what when this hooded guy came up to him and just slices his hand off. He did it so fast I never really saw what kind of blade he used."_

_I could hear scribbling even beyond Melissa's now quieting sobs. The guard was probably taking notes. Why wasn't he getting a doctor? I swear the priorities of law enforcement are screwed these days. When he finished he told them to keep doing what they're doing and that he would carry him to the nearest doctor. He offered any relatives or friends to come with him at which the two buddies agreed. They all left as the twins both took sighs of relief._

"_Hey where's Callista?" Miguel had a worried tint in his voice so I slowly raised my hand above the counter. He lightly chuckled at my clear hesitance. _

"_Callista its fine they're gone. Here you probably got some blood on you." I slowly got up and went to the mirror to inspect his theory. I shouldn't be surprised that I looked like a trauma nurse. I looked over to him but I wasn't one for close companionship. I preferred isolation and to do things myself. Especially in situations like this where I am more than capable of cleaning myself._

"_I'm fine Miguel. All I need is a bath." He looked bewildered but then decided that I didn't need any of his help since he knew how independent I was. He nodded his head in approval as I headed upstairs to where the rent rooms were. We also dabbled in offering a temporary home to people who could pay for it but tonight it looks like someone's going to get it for free. For how long only time will tell._

_Glad that there was no Piero around, I could finally stand in front of a tub and undress. I turn the tap on to hot and leave it for 10 minutes before climbing in. Letting the steam and heated water cleanse the blood that didn't dry. The rest I'd have to scrub off._

_This is my favourite part of the day and thanks to the circumstances I can appreciate it more than ever. I still wondered who the hooded man and the farmer were but a part of me didn't want to know. I didn't want to get in any danger._

_15 minutes later I was complexly clean. The water was a little murky but I could stand that. I was feeling tired. But tried to stay awake knowing I could drown myself by accident._

_I'll just wait a little longer. It sounds like they're still keeping him downstairs._


	3. Chapter 3: Marked

_I must be dreaming. None of this could possibly be real but yet it seems familiar. I'm sure I've never seen it before but memories seem to support that I have heard of this place described by only one group of people. The people touched by "The Outsider"._

_It was a surreal place. The kind you could only witness in dreams or nightmares. The floating rock I was standing on had the serving bar area on it with the stools, the alcohol and the other typical miscellaneous items you'd expect to find there_

_As for the rest of it all I had to do was look above me and around, it was in pieces floating but never moving. The only other part of "The Queen Bee" that wasn't in unrecognizable debris was the next floating rock ahead of me. I could just see about 3 more behind it but not able to discern what the shapes on their surfaces were. I was in a blue ocean like void but there was no water. The only sounds I could hear was a soothing whale song._

_Something in the air just above in front of me seemed to get brighter as a humanoid shape began to take form. Starting as a transparent form turning more visible by the second until I bore witness to a man, mid-thirties, brown coat, blue pants and…_

"_Save your observation Callista. We don't want to wait too long now do we?"_

_I was taken aback by his interruption, and even more so that he knew my name._

"_Wh-who are you?" I ask with frightful wonder. He seemed so human yet so alien at the same time. He smirked at me as if I asked a dumb question and he was amused at my dumb moment born from a startle._

"_You're not stupid Callista, you know who I am. Think about the first name that comes to mind and you will have your answer."_

_And so I thought and it came to me in an instant. There was no one else I could see. He could only be one person… or creature._

"_You're The Outsider." _

_He responded in a calm voice. His face has now taken a stoic form as if he was going to get right down to business and expects me to do the same._

"_Indeed. I'm sure you are now wondering how you got here. Or more importantly why you are here." I slowly nodded in agreement. He folds his arms as he watches me intently with great curiosity like a cat with a ball of yarn. Waiting to see what I would do next and if he approves of it or not._

"_The truth is you're not really here. But your mind is, as for why I summoned you because I have an offer for you. I very rarely do this but you're interesting enough for me to give you a choice. Congratulations." _

_I listen intently barely noticing the grey light surrounding me as it slowly edges closer. When I didn't react in any terror it shot right into me. Filling me with this feeling of warmth and energy. I never felt so alive before or at least I could not remember a time I felt this strange emotion. I looked at my left hand as it glowed a bright grey colour not a dull shade. The Outsider demanded my attention by lightly raising his hand in front of me signalling me to pay attention. Just now I realized I was wearing my old maid uniform from the year gone past. I was glad I wasn't naked but did I fall asleep in the bathtub?_

"_Just now I have granted you a small amount of power. Just one. It's the most basic, you can use it easily. Aim your hand at a location and in your mind's eye will yourself to be there. Imagine yourself at that spot and believe that you want to go there. Its distance is limited to a few short meters."_

_He points a thumb behind him at the next floating rock containing the other part of the pub. "See that rock behind me? Try using it there. I'll be waiting." He disappears into a floating white light and shoots to the after mentioned destination. Trying to think about his instructions I looked at my left hand to find that it has been marked with the infamous mark of The Outsider. I'd have to worry about covering it when I get back to the other world later. A grim thought crossed my mind. "That is if I get back". Wasting no more time I looked over at the rock where he was waiting. Looking at my mark again I tried to think about what he said about willing myself to be there._

_I held my hand up at the spot as it glowed that familiar grey colour, closing my eyes I tried to imagine myself moving to where I wanted to be just as The Outsider did so well. Pushing my forehead together, there was a rush of wind, for a moment it felt like I flew but oddly I wasn't stopping. There was a sharp rush of panic when I felt no ground. Opening my eyes I was met with the sight of a swirling blue void with a black centre resembling a whirlpool. The fear overcame me, forcing me to release it in a drawn out scream while I was falling to my death. Everything became black when I felt like the falling stopped._

_It was a great shock combined with great relief to see the exact rock I was on appear right before my eyes. I was in the air helpless against that familiar pulling force underneath us. Unsurprisingly I landed on my rear end. I wasn't used to landing well. Groaning in pain as I climbed back up while rubbing where I made impact there was a great wonder in me._

"_I should be dead. Is he giving me another chance?" His voice loomed over from the neighbouring rock in search of me. My ears perked up, eager to listen to what he had to say. Maybe whatever he says will help me move from here._

"_Too far Callista. Keep your eyes open, aim and do what I told you." Despite sounding calm for the most part his voice had a hint of impatience. It was likely in my best interest to get it right this time, I didn't want to witness what his response would be to a second failed attempt. Doing the same as I did before with my eyes open I concentrated on the spot just a few meters ahead of the rock edge on its tiled ground. Pushing my forehead together again the familiar feeling as before came only this time I was startled at the all the grey assaulting my vision until in half a second I felt cold, solid ground on my bare feet. In front of me lay a table with people surrounding it. I recognized them as the twins, Mellissa and the overweight boy who took me hostage. They all seemed to be frozen in time. Never moving and never expressing, not even their faces moved an inch._

_The Outsider appeared before me again with the same stoic expression, he gestured to the table with the still as statues people around it. "You know them as new friends and they in turn see you as the same. But can they fill that hole in your heart invisible to the eyes of normal men and mortals? Move on Callista and you will find out exactly what you are missing."_

_With that he disappeared, I assume he's waiting for me on the next rock. Wasting no time I ran to the edge and held my hand at the spot I wanted. That familiar rush came along with the grey. The ground felt colder this time. I was met with a familiar sight from Dunwall Tower. It was the place where Jessamine was assassinated. Her gravestone was there and so was Emily planting a white rose next to it. She looked a little taller since the last time she saw her. Her hair was a little longer too but in the same hairstyle. Her back was turned to her. Wanting to get a closer look she slowly approached the gravesite of the previous empress with her daughter paying her respects._

_I crept closer waiting for her to move, speak… do something. No it looks like she's just another inanimate statue. Acting on pure instinct I tenderly reach out my hand just to feel her hair. Only to be proven that she was intangible, my hand passed through her head. I was scared I hurt her somehow so I pulled back in reflexive horror. The realization that this wasn't likely the real Emily sinking in. Deciding to take the role of observer I walked around her body to see her front. As the world around me felt like it was slowly turning along with me when I was getting closer to see her face. Her pale face was bright with the blue glows around us reflecting on her face. She held a solemn expression, not grief but painful recollection. I couldn't imagine her wanting revenge. She always seemed to be more interested in playing with Corvo and listening to the Loyalists telling her what an empress is, what she does what her responsibilities would be. So much for a child to take in but she seems to have aged well. She "grew up" as they say._

_I heard a strange yet familiar sound behind me. It was The Outsider appearing right behind me. I felt like ranting at him for an explanation but knowing he was going to tell me anyway I composed myself and waited._

"_Emily is now half the girl you knew. Her reign as an empress for the past year showed her the true nature of man. Especially with help from a certain individual Dunwall knows as "Slackjaw". He and many other men are teaching her well. But none of that will save her from the danger she will find herself in soon. But time is different to me as I'm not mortal. In your case Callista, will it be soon enough for you to make a difference?"_

"_No!" He disappeared while I was struck with dread and anxiety. I had to warn Corvo, will he believe me? He must if I tell him the Outsider told me such things. After all it wasn't a secret that Corvo has made contact with him. The overseers became more lenient under the new high overseer since Corvo is seen as a hero and Emily's word made him immune to the Abbey's authority. I surprised myself with my agility when I moved to embrace her and whisper comforts in her ear. Oh right she's not real as I found once again. I had to press on. Maybe the next 2 rocks I could make out in the distance will hold an explanation. _

_I tried to imitate one of Corvo's stances whenever he prepared to run, not sure why. I guess I just thought that crouching down to look like as if I just silently landed from a high place would give me a surge of confidence in front of the swirling uncertainty weighing in me. I suddenly found myself running, almost charging ready for whatever lied ahead. With my marked hand I "Carried myself" to the next rock. This time it looked like your typical Dunwall Alley at dark if it was broken up and placed on a big piece of floating earth. Now this was a sight that struck me, it was the hooded man running through an alley. The thought struck me that maybe this was possibly what he was doing after the incident in the pub. But it could have been on any night for all I know. I wondered why of all people was I seeing him here?_

"_That's a good question Callista." I spun around not really having expectations on who it was going to be. The Outsider pointed to the man still keeping his expressionless mask of indifference. Yet his voice had the slightest hint of… interest?_

"_I know this individual very well. As does Corvo, as does Emily and, you don't know it yet, but so do you."_

_I wondered what he could possibly mean. Several suspects flashed in my mind and based on what the hooded man did in the pub and what he could clearly do I narrowed them down._

"_I won't bother telling you. You're already deducing and soon you'll reach the conclusion. But this person you see is a marked one. Like yourself at present. I already gave him one last assignment before I left him to his own devices. Yet somehow he always finds ways to make himself useful. I haven't spoken to him since then nor will I bother too but you will be seeing him again at some point. You'll be alarmed at who you will see but this time, he's on your side." _

_He did his disappearing act again and left me with only one person narrowed down. But I had to confirm my suspicions. I tried to remove his hood as he froze in time but it just went through like it did with Emily. So I tried to crouch down to look at his face but he had one hand pulling down one side of his hood. Obscuring it from my view. There wasn't much I could do here so I pressed on._

_Performing my new trick one last time with the final rock I found myself in…. a place I have never seen before. _

_It was the inside of a clock tower. The room where the top is, I could see the face of the clock and there was a table in the centre of the room. With a group of men around 10, all were unfamiliar to me. 5 Were brown haired, 3 were black haired and 2 were blonde haired. Notably one of the blonde's had long hair, not in a woman kind of way but just long and thick. I made sure to read and memorize their faces in case this was important. They all wore regular civilian clothes._

_The Outsider took shape above the table, but he wasn't expressionless. Now he had a curved smirk on his face. What was he so amused by?_

"_Remember when I said the Empress's life is in danger?"_

_That was it. No instruction, no clues, no hints or warnings. I had no names but I had faces. They were all I had._

_I was distracted, one of the statue like men came to life and grabbed me with both hands, and it was the short blonde haired man. With a look of determination to kill marked on his face he used all of his strength to drag me over to the clock face while I hopelessly thrashed at him and slapped. It only just came to my mind to use my power but it was too late. With great force he threw me out through the glass. I could barely hear the shatter, I barely registered what was happening. I thought I was going to die as I met the familiar swirling blue like whirlpool that I fell into already. Maybe I'll appear back at the clock tower this time._

_Just pitch black. I could feel myself moving though. I could feel water around me._


	4. Chapter 4: Morton's Fork

_Fear coursed through me, my heart strained to regain it's speed, my blood ran cold and my mind was clouded with a certain numbness leaving me disoriented and unable to think. I found myself exiting my now cold bath in a hurry to lavatory to empty the contents of my stomach inside the bowl. I was distracted by the mess I made until I looked at my hand. It was there, the very thing that could put me in great danger if anyone sees it. "Damn you Outsider!" I silently cursed. I know he'd hear me but I doubt he would care. I should be blessed but the Overseers would think differently._

_I had to find gloves but my maid uniform is back at the apartment complex. Maybe Melissa and the twins have a pair for cleaning somewhere? Is the Outsider testing my resourcefulness? Whatever the case I had to act quickly. After getting out of the bath I reached to pull the plug and let the light red water drain into the black well like hole. I looked at the bloody pile of clothes when an idea came into my mind. Searching the bathroom while the tub was draining behind me I found a razor the twins probably use to shave in the wooden cabinet mirror. I crept down in front of the bloody cloth pile and grabbed the green skirt, making sure it had a little blood on it but not too much to be a cause for concern. I gently held the razor under it and pushed it upward making a cut. When I saw the sharp object push through the hole I dragged it down towards me until it cut off at the end, I repeated the process on the other side and when that was done with it was time to take the strip from the garment by holding the razor under the thread connecting it and sever it by pushing it up and swiftly removing it from the bloodied skirt._

_Now I had something to mask the controversial symbol on my hand, it was big enough to conceal everything that needed to be concealed and if anyone asked I'm sure the lie I generated in my head would be sufficient enough for them to believe._

_Wrapping the green and slightly red cloth around my hand I pondered on how to conceal my nakedness. I'm sure Melissa wouldn't mind if I borrowed some clothes. She'd understand that the situation called for it. The knot tied at the back of my hand took no longer than a second and I stood up straight with my ears perked up, waiting for any kind of sound from downstairs or on this floor. When none came I returned the razor to its place and making sure that the cabinet was closed quietly. I decided to check if Melissa was in her room so I scooped up the pile, including the slippers and held it in front of my chest. I quietly padded out into the corridor and turned left to be met with the door leading to her room at the far end. Making sure to walk silently to avoid the twins attention and having them see me like this, I got ever closer to her door as the nervousness crawled from my stomach to my throat. My heart beat faster and my breath became hitched and at times sporadic. Deciding to get it over with I knocked gently on her door. I hope she's awake but since it looks like the early morning I thought it could be either way right now. The cold was starting to get to me and so did my hope that she'd answer the door soon._

_When there was no reply I tried to knock harder, I heard a noise behind me and either Miguel or Manuel walked behind me then muttered a "Sorry." And quickly darted back. I ignored the event and focused on the door. Hoping to hear some movement beyond it, finally, I heard a light padding on the floor. She must be getting out of bed and walking towards it now. As expected the door moved back and revealed a very frazzled and unkempt Melissa with bed hair. She almost looked like a weeper if it wasn't for all the more gruesome parts in the description for one left out. Her eyes weren't so bloodshot so she must've calmed down long before she fell asleep. She wore a normal white bed robe and gently rubbed her eyes before she took note of me and quickly pulled me in. She quickly closed the door in a near frenzy and spun around to confront me with a cautious look and a hushed voice._

"_Callista! What are you still doing here? We're closed for 2 days." I guess it never occurred to her that last night I mentioned taking a bath. Maybe she forgot or she assumed I left. "Well I fell asleep in the bath… and I'm naked." She looked at me and my piled and mouthed an "Oh." She quickly moved to her drawer and pulled out a short white flower pattern vest that seemed a bit on the see-through side and a short black skirt ending above the knees._

"_Anything with a little more coverage?" She paused and looked at the garments in her hands, after she finished she looked at me with a worried look and uttered a "No". Sighing I took the damn things anyway and thought about what I could do to not expose myself when bed sheets popped in. If I could do the same thing with the skirt maybe they wouldn't miss a single bed sheet that's a coin a dozen anyway. "Melissa, you know that we have about over 50 bed sheets here. 20of them being spares right?" She nodded as she seemed to try and piece together what idea I had in mind. "You and the twins wouldn't miss one if I cut it to make a wrap for my umm." Instead of vocalising it I just pointed to my breasts. She put a finger to her chin and lightly nodded her head. "Oh yeah sure, you can use one but you use it you bought it." I lightly sighed and nodded in agreement. I decided not to argue and just get out of here and go back to the apartment. I was lucky my maid shift wasn't until tomorrow. She took lead and walked out of the room as I trailed behind her hoping that no one would see us. She was insensitive sometimes about how modest I like to be but she's helping me out so I guess she meant well. We turned left and stopped at one of the guest rooms, using a key she unlocked it and gently opened the door. It was a musty old place that served its purpose so it had its worth despite Melissa complaining about it. She gave me a bed sheet which I thanked for the action. I told her I'd pay her but she shook her head and just told me to keep it since she changed her mind._

_Before I left there was a question playing on my mind, the urge for closure was too great to ignore. "Melissa, what happened to him? They took him out to the doctor right?" She nodded in confirmation. "Yeah, the guard and his buddies came back with the doc and after he inspected him, he worked on him and they carried him out. The hand's no excuse though. He's still barred for life." I tried not to show my satisfied amusement when I once again gave her my thanks._

_I headed to the bathroom perform the same trick with the razor. Then I'd be out._

_I got some awkward looks in the streets, the stares mostly came from women. I guess they like to judge fashions of an unfamiliar nature. The mutilated sheet wrapped snugly around my midsection. I should do this more often. It's easier to put on and it's more comfortable than a brassiere. I finally made my way back to the apartment building. It was medium in size and brown, mostly unremarkable in detail. After entering I saw Mr. Grotsky at the counter, he looked at me with a bored gaze then turned back as if I was unremarkable. Good, I hoped everyone or at least most would see me that way which for the most part is true, barring my bewildered and unreasonably spiteful looks from others outside. I made my way up the staircase to the 3__rd__ floor where my room was located. The door marked 31. An unremarkable number to me but being 29 I guess it will be in 2 years. I looked down below and I saw something I thought I'd never see again. A white envelope taped to the door. It had to be from Corvo. I hastily grabbed it and unlocked the door to my room with the key hidden in the waist of my skirt with equal agility. The door slammed shut behind me, I was momentarily distracted by a black cat that managed to get through…. Why is the window open? _

_I quickly chased it out not caring if it could climb down or if cats really can land on their feet, I had to read this and find out if anyone was still here. I carefully edged the door to the bathroom open. Nothing. I repeated with the bedroom. Nothing. Even after through search there was no other living soul here. But I did find another note on the small circular table I have. The place where Corvo always placed his notes. If this was Corvo then who could have placed the one on the door? Grostky but I already paid him and he marked me with as much interest as watching a wall when I entered. _

_I didn't want to wallow in paranoia or uncertainty any longer. I began with Corvo's letter. I could use some news about Emily and I also wondered what he was doing. Something important for him to do this after so long._

_Callista_

_Emily has begun to ask questions about you again. You know I can't tell her the truth, they are listening very closely. It's by conscience that I am writing this to you. They knew the empress would never back down on getting you to remain with her. I have to play along with their game. I saw something in the clock tower. Something diabolical and treacherous to a high degree. I can't do this myself because I would immediately come under suspicion. This is where the conspiracy brought us and there is no one here I trust. You may know that I can't tell her about you but what you do not know is that she does not know you are alive. In 2 weeks come to the Whaler Pub. I'll wait for you, the time does not matter because she has two royal protectors now. Whether that will change or not is unclear. Burn this after reading._

_Corvo_

_My hand squeezed, the boiling fire of anger consumed me from deception. She thinks I'm dead, that's why she never bothered to look for me by sending someone to search for me. She was probably also convinced to find a burial site or a body was a waste of time, she had her duties to think of. I barely noticed that I crushed the paper. When rationality recovered, I took a candle from the top of the small fire place. I placed the white cylinder shaped object on the table, the matchbox was in the drawer in my bedroom. I took the small dirty case and took an unlit match. I had about five left including this one. I struck it on the box and the red tip burst into flame. I could just use the match but I wouldn't want to waste anymore. Especially since I have another letter to go through. The match was brought to the candle tip by my hand, the note burned as the black followed by the flames consumed it. I throw it into the trash bin near the table before it burned my hands. It was now time for letter number 2. The letter of suspicion and mystery._

_We've met before but you didn't recognize me. That was my intention so all apologies._

_I know what you may have found out, and I'm writing this to tell you that I'm the only one who can help you. Meet me at the Dunwall cemetery in 2 days. Midnight sharp. _

_From the guy who saved your life._

_Conflict, anxiety, distrust, paranoia, wonder and most of all suspicion. These are the things I felt for this letter. I decided to burn this one as well just in case._

_I stared at the second letter becoming engulfed in the element and dropped it with the ash that was formerly paper, letting it become the same thing and meet the same fate._

_I continued to look at the candle tip, not thinking. Just staring and feeling. It could be dangerous, but my emotions also told me that I should go since my life is at a slow grind and I may never get a moment like this again_

_I resigned myself to them and let go. I would do as the second writer wishes. His was sooner. Corvo can wait._


End file.
